Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 - NSW Ombudsman - NSW ...

Recommendation 04
NSW Police finalise, as a matter of priority, a single forensic procedures register for use in commands.
Recommendation 05
NSW Police review present electronic (COPS and custody management) recording of procedures to ensure a
standard process which enables meeting legal requirements including detention requirements.
Recommendation 06
NSW Police consider the development of a hard copy forensic procedures manual.
Recommendation 07
NSW Police take into account problems with recording forensic procedures demonstrated in this review in its
mainframe replacement program.
Recommendation 08
NSW Police clarify in SOPs for how long and in what circumstances electronic recordings of forensic
procedures (video tapes) should be kept, and provide this advice to commands.
NSW Police is largely supportive of these recommendations. It supports recommendations 4, 5, 7 and 8 in full.
Recommendation 4 has already been partially implemented, and a project to address recommendation 5 is currently
being undertaken. In response to recommendation 6, NSW Police has advised that it will “assess the way it delivers
SOPs to officers including ease of access to printed material and methods to ensure currency of information”. 310
NSW Police has also recently advised that it has applied for funding for a new forensic information management
system. 311
4.2.9. Auditing at a local level
The Audit Group advised that commands should be auditing forensic procedures as part of the command
management framework (CMF), the NSW Police mandatory risk based compliance system. Conducted at a local level
by command officers, CMF audits include checking procedural requirements have been met, the quality of records,
security and disposal of exhibits. 312 The Audit Group visits commands to check that audits are being conducted
properly.
Through our survey and audits of local area commands, we found that some commands were conducting regular
audits of consent books, DNA sample kits and forensic procedure exhibit records. Some had also reviewed a
proportion of forensic procedure videos to assess compliance with the Act and identify areas which could be
improved. However, there was little consistency between commands in the frequency and thoroughness of audits,
and it was clear that commands would benefit from more specific guidance on this.
NSW Ombudsman
DNA sampling and other forensic procedures conducted on suspects and volunteers under the Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 51